Sunday Salon – April 8, 2007

There’s a global initiative, with a major push by the Bush Administration,
to shift from fossil fuels to plant-based bio-fuels to meet the world’s
energy "needs." Fuel made from corn, palm, sugarcane, grasses, and cow-dung
are often presented as green, but are they really? What do these fuels mean
for the environment? Do they threaten the food supply? What could the
shift mean for farmers? For human rights?

Isabella Kenfield is a freelance journalist based in Brazil and a
contributor to the International Relations Center’s Americas Program. Her
writing about how ethanol production in Brazil affects the nation’s economy,
land, and its landless workers can be found here:http://www.alternet.org/story/49138.

On April 14th, people concerned about Global Warming will hold more than
1,100 actions across the United states as part of the Step It Up ’07
Campaign (http://www.stepitup07.org). We’ll talk to participants from
around the country, and have performances by a group planning an action at
Berkeley’s People’s Park.